The Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA Committee VAW-1 (RVFNRA) is proud to announce their 30th Anniversary of fundraising for shooting sports in Virginia. Half of every dollar raised remains in Virginia with the other half going to national programs. The RVFNRA committee is one of 28 committees in Virginia. Friends of NRA Committees consist of volunteers who believe in supporting the future of shooting sports. Friends committees are part of the NRA Foundation. The NRA Foundation is a 501-C3 organization.
The Friends of NRA program raises funds for the following groups: 4-H, Boy Scouts, JROTC, Eddie Eagle, Women on Target, Y.E.S. Program, college and university shooting teams and local gun clubs that provide special shooting programs for the public and the above groups.
The Friends program began in October of 1992 by Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of Midway USA. Due to the success of the first event, the Friends of NRA was started nationwide in 1993. The program has since grown to 1,000 committees and has raised $1 billion.
Leonard Muse, a local industrialist, member of NRA and Roanoke Rifle and Revolver as well as an avid shooter, saw the importance of Friends of NRA. With the support of RRRC Gun Club, the RVFNRA committee was the first to be chartered in Virginia. All funds raised are provided to recipients thru a grant request program.
Every January, 28 Virginia committees meet to determine whom and how much funding each grant request will receive. This past January, $415,000 was available to be awarded. Committees use firearm raffles and annual dinners for fundraising.
The RVFNRA committee’s annual dinner is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, at the Salem Civic Center. A buffet dinner will feature games, bucket Items and a live auction. Attendees will have an opportunity to win one of 30 firearms. Prices are: Single ticket – $50; Couple ticket – $85; and Youth under 18 – $30. Other ticket packages that include a firearm start at $500 per couple and table of eight meals are offered from $1,000, $1,500, $2,022, $2,500 and $3,000.
For more information, call Roy Gross at 540-509-1711 or Al Milton at 540-797-7777.